Telephone support



Nov. 15, 1949 J. FALLEK TELEPHONE SUPPORT Filed March 5, 1947 fwd/2767* -J@5 /z 122/319 y Patented Nov. 15, 1949 PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE SUPPORT Joseph Fallek, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,543

4 Claims. (Cl. 179-157) This invention relates in general to telephone supports of the general character wherein a telephone may be supported for use and leave the users hands free for other purposes.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a telephone support which is particularly adapted for use with the cradle type of telephone to support the receiver and mouthpiece thereof in proper position for use to enable a person to use the telephone and leave his hands free for other. purposes.

Another object is to provide a telephone support for use with the cradle type of telephone wherein a main body member is adapted to be secured to the handle of the telephone, and supporting means are mounted on the body in such a way as to enable the handle to be suspended from the neck of a user so that the receiver and mouthpiece thereof will be properly positioned for use without the aid of the users hands.

- '20 A further object is to provide a telephone support for use with the cradle type of telephone wherein a main body member having a substantially channel shaped cross-section is adapted to be secured to the handle of the telephone, and suitable supporting means are mounted on the body to permit the handle to be suspended from the neck of a user and position the receiver and- .mouthpiece properly for use. It is contemplated that the sides of the channel shaped body memher may be resilient to thereby clampingly receive the telephone handle, or any other suitable type .of securing means may be used, such as a strap for securely fastening the body in place.

Still another object is to provide a telephone support of the character herein described wherein a main body member having a substantially channel shaped cross-section is adapted to be secured to the handle of the telephone and foldable supporting means are secured to one side of the body 40 member in such a way that it may be folded to an inconspicuous position when not in use, but which may be readily opened and secured in its open position in proper angular relation with the telephone handle so that the support may be placed'around the neck of a user and the receiver and mouthpiece of the telephone will be properly positioned for use.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a view illustrating the invention in actual use on a person;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the telephone support in its completely folded position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the supporting means in an intermediate position as it is being unfolded for use;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the supporting means in a subsequent position assumed thereby in the unfolding thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the entire device in its position ready for use.

Briefly described, the invention consists of a main body member which is adapted to be secured by any suitable means to the handle of a cradle type telephone. Suitable supporting means in the form of a circular band is mounted on one side of the main body member and is adapted to be passed around the neck of a user. The angular relationship of the supporting band with respect to the body portion is such that when the band is around the neck of a user the telephone will be properly positioned for use, with the receiver thereof against the users ear and the mouthpiece adjacent the users mouth. .If desired, suitable securing means in the form of a strap may be utilized, but it has been found advantageous to form the main body portion of a channel shape wherein the sides or legs of the .channel are resilient, thus permitting the entire device to clampingly receive the telephone handle.

It should be mentioned that the support is shown in the drawings in the reverse, or upside .down, position to facilitate the showing of the structure. That is, in Fig. 1, the hinge is shown .at the bottom of the support when in actual use, whereas the remaining figures illustrate the hinge near the top thereof. This of course has no effect on the principle of operation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the mainbody member of the device is indicated generally by the numeral l, which body member consists of substantially parallel legs or sides 2 and 3 connected together byv the web or base 4. The main body then will be in the form of a channel and may be formed, if desired, of an integral piece of material such as a metal or plastic. Regardless'of the specific material used, the

sides 2 and 3 may be made resilient so as to clampingly receive the handle 5 of a cradle type telephone illustrated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

The side 3 is provided with a hinge member 6 to which an outwardly extending ear 1 may be pivotally mounted. A supporting band having an initial portion 8 may be pivotally mounted to the ear I as by means of the pivot pin 9.

The supporting band is preferably formed of two or more lengths pivotally secured together so that they may be folded to an inconspicuous position as shown in Fig. 2. The preferred form of the invention shows this supporting band as consisting of two sections, one of which has been designated by the numeral 8 and which terminates in an outwardly curved end portion [0. A pivot pin H pivotally secures the end Ill of the initial part of the band 8 to the remainder of the support indicated by the numeral [2, which is also curved and completes the substantially circular supporting band makes with the plane of the side member 3 is quite important from the standpoint of properly positionin the telephone for use. The location of these two planes at 90 will be unsatisfactory because when the band is placed around a persons neck, the telephone will not be properly positioned. It has, therefore, been determined that the supporting band must be moved through an angle greater than 90 from its position shown in Fig. 4 to its position shown in Fig. 5. I do not wish to be limited to any specific angular relationship as between the supporting band and its main body portion other than to say that it should not be at right angles thereto, nor should the acute angle be greater than in the neighborhood of 45.

Fig. 1 indicates the appearance of the device 7 in actual use wherein the telephone is shown supporting band. If desired, the end of the band l2 may be provided with a pad I3, formed of any suitable soft material, to prevent any possible sharp edges of the band from digging into the soft portions of the neck about which the band is to be placed.

The opposite end of the initial part of the band 8 beyond the pivot pin 9 comprises a tailpiece having an offset portion I4, terminating in a locking member [5 extending at substantially right angles thereto. As will be presently observed during the description of the various positionsof the supporting band, the locking member I5 is adapted to pass beneath a hook member l6 for the purpose of locking the supporting band in its proper fully open position.

One end of the side to which the supporting band is pivotally mounted is also provided with either an indentation or a cut-out portion I1 which is adapted to receive the locking member 15 when the device is fully closed, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

In actual use the handle 5 of a cradle type telephone is placed between the sides 2 and 3 of'the main body I and will come to rest against the base 4 thereof. Normally, the supporting means will be in its folded or completely closed position as shown in Fig. 2 and in this position the telephone may be placed within its receptacle without having any interference from the supporting means. The construction is such that the telephone may be used in its normal manner if so desired by merely grasping the handle in the ordinary way. The supportin means will not interfere with the normal use of the telephone. When, however, it is desired to bring the supporting means into use, the first step will be to grasp the supporting band 8 and pivot the entire band about the hinge member 6 approximately 90 to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this osition the tail piece will be moved free of the main body to permit the supporting band to be pivoted about the pivot pin 9 substantially 180 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

The remainder of the band l2 may be pivoted about its pivot point H in either of the positions shown in Figs. 3 or 4 to the fully open position shown in Fig. 5. From the position shown in Fig. 4, however, the entire band may be moved again about its pivot point 9 to bring the locking member 15 beneath the hook it which then locks the supporting band in its position for use.

It has been determined that the angle which a plane passing through the substantially circular properly supported with the receiver against the ear of the user and the mouthpiece adjacent the mouth thereof. The hands of the user will thus be left free for the taking of notes or for any other desired purpose.

The advantages of the invention include the ease and swiftness with which the supporting band may beopened for use and closed for nonuse. The device is inconspicuous when closed and the locking means provide assurance that the telephone will remain in its proper position while it is being used.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from that disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A telephone support of the character described, comprising a body portion adapted to receive the handle of -a telephone, hinge means on said body portion, a sectional supporting member, pivot means intermediate the ends of said member to foldably connect said sections together, and means pivotally connecting said foldable member to said hinge means, whereby said support may be folded and moved to one position when'not in use, and may be unfolded to a position-f or use.

2. A telephone support of the character described; comprising a channel shaped body portion having substantially parallel and resilient sides thereon adapted to clampingly receive the handle of a telephone, hinge means on said body portion, a foldable support, means pivotally connecting said support to said hinge means, whereby said support may be folded and moved to one position when not in use, and may be unfolded and moved-to a position for use, and means on said body portion for locking said support in the position it assumes for use.

3. A telephone support of the character described, comprising a substantially channel shaped body portion having substantially parallel and resilient sides thereon adapted'to clampingly receive and hold the handle of a telephone, hinge means on-one side of said body portion, a sectional supporting member, pivot means intermediate the ends of said member to foldably connect said sections together, means pivotally connecting said support to said hinge means, whereby said support adjacent one end thereof may be folded and moved to one position when not in use, and may be unfolded and moved to another position for use, and means on said body portion for locking said support in the position it assumes for use.

4. A telephone support of the character described, comprising a substantially channel shaped body portion adapted to receive the handle of a telephone, hinge means on one side of said body portion, a foldable support having a tailpiece at one end thereof, means adjacent said tailpiece pivotally connecting said support to said hinge means so that said tailpiece extends beyond the pivot means adjacent thereto, whereby said support may be folded and moved to one position when not in use, and may be unfolded and moved to another position for use, and hook means on said body portion adapted to cooperate with said extending tailpiece when said support i in open position for use to thereby lock said support in place.

JOSEPH FALLEK. 

